Telescopable column, in particular for items of furniture, such as desks, and desk having such a column

ABSTRACT

Telescopable column, in particular for items of furniture, such as desks, comprising: at least two telescopic elements which can be displaced axially in one another in a telescope-like manner, and a sliding support between the at least two telescopic elements, wherein the sliding support comprises support bodies only in the region of a longitudinal end of an inner one of the two telescopic elements, the support bodies in each case having an abutment zone which forms a sliding surface and having an opposite abutment zone for fastening to the telescopic element, and being fastened to the outer side of the inner telescopic element without tools, and desk having same.

The present invention relates to a telescopable column, in particular for items of furniture, such as desks, and to a desk having a telescopable column.

New offices are often equipped with height-adjustable desks for improving the ergonomic position of the user and offer the possibility of working while standing or sitting. The high demand for, for example, desks having lifting columns or telescopable desk legs makes an affordable standard system appealing.

Lifting columns are conventionally made up of extruded metal tubes with specific lengths. To ensure frictionless and quiet linear sliding of the tubes relative to one another, thin composite bodies, comprising a support body, are used between the tubes or profiles. Thin elements of this kind are disclosed, for example, in US 2005/0002591 A1. Owing to the intended sliding displacement, the composite bodies are alternately held on an inner tube and on an outer tube in a positionally fixed manner, such that a mutual supporting action is achieved.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,908,981 B2 discloses a combination of two different types of sliding elements made of plastic. As a result of the use of grooves which are located along the tubes, linear sliding is made possible.

An additional role of the sliding elements consists in compensating for cross-sectional tolerances of the tube profile and for small variations in the dimensions along the tube axis. According to US 2005/0002591 A1, said role is accomplished by a hardening elastic component (compensation layer) in combination with the composite bodies. In US 2013/0221171 A1, it is achieved by using the elasticity of a specially configured region under the sliding element. Finally, according to DE 10020866 A1, it is achieved by feeding the sliding material directly into the space between the tubes.

In addition to the use of a plurality of large geometries, which contribute to a large amount of material, such solutions require additional production and assembly steps, such that they can be realized only in a laborious and costly manner.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a sliding support which can be produced and assembled in a more cost-effective manner.

According to the invention, said object is achieved by a telescopable column, in particular for items of furniture, such as desks, comprising:

at least two telescopic elements which can be displaced axially in one another in a telescope-like manner, and

a sliding support between the at least two telescopic elements, wherein the sliding support comprises support bodies only in the region of a longitudinal end of an inner one of the two telescopic elements, the support bodies in each case having an abutment zone which forms a sliding surface and having an opposite abutment zone for fastening to the telescopic element, and being fastened to the outer side of the inner telescopic element without tools.

Furthermore, said object is achieved by a desk having at least one column according to one of Claims 1 to 10.

In the case of the column, provision can be made for the outer telescopic element, on the inner side thereof, to have at least one guide groove which extends in the longitudinal direction of said element, and for the sliding surface of the support bodies to have a corresponding lug or guide rib which is designed to slide in the guide groove.

Advantageously, the main extent of the sliding surface runs in the longitudinal direction of the inner telescopic element.

As an alternative, the main extent of the sliding surface can run transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the inner telescopic element.

Advantageously, the inner telescopic element has at least one latching opening, and the support bodies have at least one corresponding latching element on the abutment zone for fastening to the telescopic element.

Expediently, the sliding surface has at least one sliding rib parallel to the guide rib, and the sliding rib has a lower height than the guide rib.

In a particular embodiment, at least three, preferably precisely three, of the support bodies are, preferably equidistantly, arranged in one plane in a circumferential manner on the outer side of the inner telescopic element.

Furthermore, provision can be made for the support bodies to be arranged in at least two axially offset planes on the outer side of the inner telescopic element.

In particular, provision can in this case be made for at least one support body in one plane to be offset in the circumferential direction with respect to at least one support body in another plane.

Finally, provision can be made for the support bodies to be composed of plastic or to contain plastic.

The present invention is based on the surprising realization that, by using a “standard sliding element” with simplified geometry, said element being able to be fastened to the profile in a toolless manner, it is possible to limit, or reduce, the assembly operation to one region of the profile, as a result of which assembly costs can be saved. The “standard sliding element” can be utilized with a large variety of profile diameters, since it covers the profile surface only partially, in particular in a “punctiform” manner.

The “standard sliding element” can also be produced and provided in various thicknesses in order to improve the stability of the linear movement and to avoid an excessively large angular deviation of the profiles with respect to one another.

The present invention can also be employed in the case of lifting columns which are composed of two or more overlappingly arranged profiles, it being possible for the diameter of the profiles to increase from top to bottom, or alternatively from bottom to top. It is also possible for the tubes or profiles to not have only square, rectangular or circular cross-sectional profiles.

Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the appended claims and from the following description of a plurality of exemplary embodiments with reference to the schematic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a height-adjustable desk having two telescopable columns (lifting columns) according to a particular embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows three round tubes, which form a telescopable column, fully extended in a perspective view (on the left), and in a partially transparent side view (on the right);

FIG. 3 shows an exploded illustration of a detail view of a sliding support between two telescopic elements (tubes) which can be displaced axially in one another in a telescope-like manner, in a perspective view (on the left) and in a side view (on the right);

FIG. 4 shows details of a support body of the sliding support of FIG. 3 in various views;

FIG. 5 shows an exploded illustration of a detail view of a sliding support between two telescopic elements (tubes) which can be displaced axially in one another in a telescope-like manner, in a perspective view (on the left) and in a side view (on the right), according to a further particular embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows details of a support body of the sliding support of FIG. 5 in various views;

FIG. 7 shows an exploded illustration of a detail view of a sliding support between two telescopic elements (tubes) which can be displaced axially in one another in a telescope-like manner, in a perspective view (on the left) and in a side view (on the right), according to a further particular embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 shows details of a support body of the sliding support of FIG. 7 in various views; and

FIG. 9 shows an exploded illustration of a detail view of a sliding support between two telescopic elements (tubes) which can be displaced axially in one another in a telescope-like manner, in a perspective view (on the left) and in a side view (on the right), according to a further particular embodiment of the invention.

The height-adjustable desk 10 shown in FIG. 1 has, inter alia, a desk top 12 on a desk frame 14 which has, inter alia, a telescopable column 16 on each side and a respective desk foot 18. In the example shown, the columns 16 have a square or rectangular cross section. It goes without saying that the cross section can for example also be round or oval.

The telescopable column 16 shown by way of example in FIG. 2, for example for a desk, comprises three telescopic elements 20, 22 and 24 which can be displaced axially in one another in a telescope-like manner, wherein, in this example, the uppermost telescopic element 24 can be displaced in the interior of the middle telescopic element 22, and the middle telescopic element 22 can be displaced in the interior of the lower telescopic element 20. This is made possible by a respective sliding support 26 or 28 which, in this example, is arranged in the region of the lower longitudinal end 30 of the middle telescopic element 22 and in the region of the lower longitudinal end 32 of the upper telescopic element 24, respectively. Each of the two sliding supports 26 and 28 has support bodies 34 having an outer sliding surface, which support bodies, in this example, are of identical design and are in each case equidistantly arranged in a circumferential manner in two planes 36 and 38 which are offset axially from one another. In this example, four support bodies 34 are arranged, at a spacing of 90° with respect to one another, in a circumferential manner in each plane.

FIG. 3 shows a further sliding support 40. Said sliding support is arranged in the region of the lower longitudinal end of the upper telescopic element 44, which slides in the lower telescopic element 46. The sliding support 40 comprises support bodies 48. The support bodies 48 are identical, and have an abutment zone 50 which forms a sliding surface and have an opposite abutment zone 52 for fastening to the upper telescopic element 44 (see FIG. 4). The fastening to the upper telescopic element 44 takes place by way of, in each case, two latching openings 54 which are spaced apart above one another in the axial direction and corresponding latching elements 56 on the abutment zone 52 (see also FIG. 4). On the abutment zone 50, each support body 48 has a guide rib 58 which extends in the axial direction of the upper telescopic element 44 and which slides in a guide groove 60 which extends in the longitudinal direction of the lower telescopic element 46 on the inner side 62 of the lower telescopic element 46.

The support bodies 48 are arranged on the outer side 64 of the upper telescopic element 44, and specifically, in this example, in two planes 66 and 68 which are offset above one another in the axial direction, with four support bodies 48 being equidistantly arranged over the circumference in each plane. The support bodies 48 in one plane lie, with respect to corresponding support bodies 48 in the other plane, in the axial direction, on a line L.

The embodiment of support bodies 70 which is shown in FIG. 5 and 6 differs from the support bodies shown in FIG. 3 and 4 substantially in that the main extent H (see FIG. 6) runs not in the longitudinal direction of the upper telescopic element 44 but rather transversely thereto. The support bodies 70 on the abutment zone 52 also have only one, in this example central, latching element 56. Accordingly, in the lower longitudinal end 42 of the upper telescopic element 44, only one respective latching opening 54 is required in order to fasten the support body 70 to the upper telescopic element 44.

Further, the support bodies 70 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in each case have two parallel sliding ribs 72 on both sides of the guide rib 58.

The embodiment of support bodies 74 which is shown in FIG. 7 and 8 differs from the support bodies shown in FIG. 5 and 6 substantially in that, instead of a central latching element 56, a respective latching lug 76 (see in particular FIG. 8) as latching element is provided on each short side of the abutment zone 52. Accordingly, the upper telescopic element 44 has corresponding latching openings 54 in the region of the lower longitudinal end 42.

The sliding support shown in FIG. 9 differs from the sliding support shown in FIG. 3 substantially in that the support bodies 80 in one plane 82 are offset by 45° with respect to the support bodies 80 in a plane 84 which is offset axially thereto. Correspondingly, the lower telescopic element 46, on the inner side 62 thereof, has corresponding guide grooves 60 which are arranged at an angle of 45° in a circumferential manner.

The features of the invention which are disclosed in the description above, in the drawings and in the claims may be essential, both individually and in the desired combinations, to the implementation of the invention in its various embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   10 Desk -   12 Desk top -   14 Desk frame -   16 Column -   18 Desk foot -   20, 22, 24 Telescopic elements -   26, 28 Sliding supports -   30, 32 Longitudinal ends -   34 Support body -   36, 38 Planes -   40 Sliding supports -   42 Longitudinal end -   44 Upper telescopic element -   46 Lower telescopic element -   48 Support body -   50, 52 Abutment zone -   54 Latching opening -   56 Latching elements -   58 Guide rib -   60 Guide groove -   62 Inner side -   64 Outer side -   66, 68 Planes -   70 Support body -   72 Sliding rib -   74 Support body -   76 Latching lug -   78 Sliding support -   80 Support body -   82 Plane -   84 Plane -   H Main extent -   L Line 

1. A telescopable column for items of furniture, such as desks, comprising: at least two telescopic elements which can be displaced axially in one another in a telescope-like manner; and a sliding support between the at least two telescopic elements, wherein said sliding support comprises support bodies only in the region of a longitudinal end of an inner one of the at least two said telescopic elements, said support bodies in each case having an abutment zone which forms a sliding surface and having an opposite abutment zone for fastening to said telescopic element, and being fastened to an outer side of said inner one of said telescopic element without tools.
 2. The telescopable column of claim 1, wherein the outer said telescopic element, on the inner side thereof, has at least one guide groove which extends in the longitudinal direction of said telescopic element, and said sliding surface of said support bodies has a corresponding lug or guide rib which is designed to slide in said guide groove.
 3. The telescopable column of claim 1, wherein the main extent of said sliding surface runs in the longitudinal direction of the inner said telescopic element.
 4. The telescopable column of claim 1, wherein the main extent of said sliding surface runs transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the inner said telescopic element.
 5. The telescopable column of claim 1, wherein the inner said telescopic element has at least one latching opening and said support bodies have at least one corresponding latching element on said abutment zone for fastening to said telescopic element.
 6. The telescopable column of claim 2, wherein said sliding surface has at least one sliding rib parallel to said guide rib, and said sliding rib has a lower height than said guide rib.
 7. The telescopable column of claim 1, wherein at least three of said support bodies are arranged in one plane in a circumferential manner on said outer side of the inner said telescopic element.
 8. The telescopable column of claim 1, wherein said support bodies are arranged in at least two axially offset planes on said outer side of the inner said telescopic element.
 9. The telescopable column of claim 8, wherein at least one said support body in one plane is offset in the circumferential direction with respect to at least one said support body in another plane.
 10. The telescopable column of claim 1, wherein said support bodies are composed of plastic or contain plastic.
 11. A desk comprising: at least one telescopable column that further comprises: at least two telescopic elements which can be displaced axially in one another in a telescope-like manner; and a sliding support between the at least two said telescopic elements, wherein said sliding support comprises support bodies only in the region of a longitudinal end of an inner one of the at least two said telescopic elements, said support bodies in each case having an abutment zone which forms a sliding surface and having an opposite abutment zone for fastening to said telescopic element, and being fastened to an outer side of said inner one of said telescopic element without tools.
 12. The desk of claim 11, wherein the outer said telescopic element, on the inner side thereof, has at least one guide groove which extends in the longitudinal direction of said telescopic element, and said sliding surface of said support bodies has a corresponding lug or guide rib which is designed to slide in said guide groove.
 13. The desk of claim 11, wherein the main extent of said sliding surface runs in the longitudinal direction of the inner said telescopic element.
 14. The desk of claim 11, wherein the main extent of said sliding surface runs transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the inner said telescopic element.
 15. The desk of claim 11, wherein the inner said telescopic element has at least one latching opening, and said support bodies have at least one corresponding latching element on said abutment zone for fastening to said telescopic element.
 16. The desk of claim 12, wherein said sliding surface has at least one sliding rib parallel to said guide rib, and said sliding rib has a lower height than said guide rib.
 17. The desk of claim 11, wherein at least three of said support bodies are arranged in one plane in a circumferential manner on said outer side of the inner said telescopic element.
 18. The desk of claim 11, wherein said support bodies are arranged in at least two axially offset planes on said outer side of the inner said telescopic element.
 19. The desk of claim 18, wherein at least one said support body in one plane is offset in the circumferential direction with respect to at least one said support body in another plane.
 20. The desk of claim 11, wherein said support bodies are composed of plastic or contain plastic. 